Chicken pox (diphtheria pox) (Variola gallinarum) is a contagious, predominantly chronic disease of birds of the gallinaceous suborder, caused by a typical pathogen of the genus Avipoxvirus. Chickenpox in chickens is accompanied by conjunctivitis and the formation of focal specific exanthems and enanthems, most often in the head and upper respiratory tract.

Historical reference. The disease has been known since ancient times under various names. Previously, bird pox was considered not as a single disease, but as two independent diseases, diphtheria and smallpox. Later, taking into account that smallpox is a more characteristic and specific form of infection, and its causative agent is generally close to smallpox viruses, this disease in birds began to be called smallpox. Birdpox is widespread in foreign countries (USA, Canada, South America, Asia and Europe).

Economic damage. Fowl pox causes great economic losses to the poultry industry. The annual losses caused by chickenpox in France were estimated at 200 million. francs, in Holland fowlpox accounts for 12% of total losses in poultry farming. The disease causes a sharp decrease in egg production up to 5 times, worsening the results of egg incubation. The damage in poultry farming is further aggravated by the fact that having appeared once in a herd, it subsequently became stationary due to the high persistence of the virus, recurring annually and accompanied by a high percentage of morbidity and mortality. In the USSR, before the introduction of preventive measures in a number of poultry farms, death from this disease reached 25-30% of the poultry population.

Etiology. The viral etiology of chickenpox was established by F.P. Polovinkin (1902). Before this, Bollinger (1873) discovered specific intraplasmic inclusions in the epithelial cells of the skin of patients with bird pox. A. Borel (1904) identified the elementary bodies (virions) of the virus, known as Borel bodies. Inclusions. discovered by Bollinger and later called bodies after him, are accumulations of tens of thousands of virions, and their identification has diagnostic value. The virus is filtered through Berkefeld suppositories V and the Seitz plate, but does not penetrate through Berkefeld suppositories W and N. The virus is able to penetrate a collodion membrane with a pore size of 0.3, but does not pass through a pore size of 0.25. According to some data, the particle size of the avian smallpox virus is 120 t/x, and according to others, 125-175 t/x. The virus is resistant to physical and chemical influences. The virus survives in poultry houses for up to 158 days, and on down and feathers for up to 182 days. Under normal atmospheric conditions, the dried virus can be active for up to two years. In diffuse light, it retains its infectivity at 0-6°C for months, and in some cases for about a year or more. At 60°C, the smallpox virus dies in an hour, and at 80°C within 15-30 minutes, boiling kills it in 6 minutes. In low temperature conditions (-190°C) it remains viable for several days.

The virus loses its infective ability in 1% acetic acid and 1% sublimate after 5 minutes, in 0.1% sublimate after 20 minutes. It also dies in a 3% solution of carbolic acid, in a 0.5-1% solution of formalin, a weak solution of iodine (1:10,000), and a 2.5% solution of sulfuric and hydrochloric acids. Glycerin, even at 25°C, slowly neutralizes the virus (within 12 days).

When the virus is exposed to a 1% solution of potassium hydroxide, a solution of acetic acid in the same concentration, or a solution of sublimate 1:1000, it is quickly inactivated. The virus dies when exposed to 70° and 96° ethyl alcohol for 10 minutes, at a temperature of 20° and for 30 minutes when exposed to 50° alcohol. In practical conditions, veterinary specialists have to use a 1-2% solution of caustic alkali (caustic soda) for disinfection. Even more reliable is disinfection with caustic alkali dissolved in 5% lime milk.

Epizootic data. Bird smallpox disease is caused by the introduction of infection into a farm from outside, as well as by a virus that persists for a long time in the farm itself. If proper veterinary and sanitary measures and thorough disinfection are not carried out, smallpox can become a stationary infection and occur at any time of the year. An adult bird gets sick more often and more severely during the molting period, in autumn and winter. The most sensitive to smallpox are young animals and birds of decorative breeds, in which the disease occurs in both diphtheroid and mixed forms. In adult birds, the gateway for the virus is damaged skin and therefore the cutaneous form of smallpox predominates.

The source of infection is sick and recovered birds (within 2 months after illness), eggs, down and feathers contaminated with the smallpox virus, soil, feed, water, equipment and overalls of service personnel.

Infection occurs both through direct contact between a healthy bird and a sick bird, and through virus infection of care items, food, through service personnel, as well as through the bites of blood-sucking insects. In sandflies and mosquitoes that attack a bird sick with smallpox, the virus can persist for about 210 days, in the burner fly - 20 days, in the Persian tick - 30 days, in Ornithodorus - 97 days, in bedbugs - 35 days. Domestic and wild birds and rodents are also carriers of the smallpox virus.

It has also been established that in the warm season and in countries with a hot climate, the cutaneous form is usually recorded in birds, and in winter the diphtheroid form, when the process of damage to the mucous membrane occurs more often. This fact is explained by a lack of vitamin A, impaired mineral metabolism and other factors that reduce the body's resistance. Under these conditions, the virus also penetrates through intact mucous membranes. Birds sick with smallpox and virus carriers release the virus into the environment with virus-containing crusts and films falling off; feces and discharge from the nose, mouth and eyes, as well as from laid eggs.

Smallpox outbreaks usually occur in the form of enzootics and sometimes epizootics. The bird suffers from smallpox for 6 weeks or more. Under unsatisfactory conditions for keeping and feeding poultry, up to 50-70% of poultry die. In a sick bird, egg production decreases 5 times or more, which recovers slowly after recovery; the hatchability of chickens during illness and for a long time after chickens have been ill remains low and often amounts to about 20-25%. A bird that has recovered from the disease loses its natural resistance for a long time and becomes more sensitive to other microflora.

Depending on the virulence of the virus strain, the routes of its penetration into the body, the age and physiological state of the bird’s body, the incubation period ranges from 4 to 20 days.

Pathogenesis. The smallpox process is generalized, with the most pronounced lesions occurring in the epithelial tissue of the skin and mucous membranes (comb, beard, body skin, mucous membrane of the mouth and pharynx).

After the smallpox virus gets on the damaged skin of the comb or beard, smallpox exanthema occurs in chickens, and when it gets on the skin follicles, smallpox folliculitis occurs. The smallpox process can spread to large areas of the skin or mucous membrane at the sites where the virus was applied and take a generalized course. In a generalized course, the smallpox virus is found in the blood, liver, kidneys, ovaries, brain and other organs and tissues of the bird.

The severity of the smallpox process in a sick bird depends both on the resistance of the infected bird, and on the virulence of the virus that has entered the body, and on the secondary microflora, which usually complicates the smallpox process.

For a bird sick with smallpox, damage to the laryngeal mucosa is most dangerous. Due to the participation of bacteria from the group of cocci, necrosis rods and other microorganisms, this lesion has the character of diphthyritic plaques, films, deposits that make it difficult for the bird to breathe and feed, and in some cases cause complete blockage of the laryngeal opening and the death of the bird from suffocation.

Clinical signs. Round, first pale yellow and then reddish spots appear on the skin at the base of the beak, eyelids, on the crest, barbs and other parts of the body, gradually turning into small nodules. These nodules often merge, and after a few days their surface is covered with a serous sticky exudate, which dries out into red-brown crusts. If smallpox proceeds without complications, then after 7-10 days, the pockmarks disappear, leaving no noticeable scars. Under the removed scab, an accumulation of serous exudate is noticeable.

Chicken pockmarks usually do not appear at the same time. On the 17-19th day after infection, a secondary smallpox process sometimes occurs on previously unaffected areas of the skin. Diphtheritic inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eyes in birds causes lacrimation, photophobia, swelling of the eyelids, mucopurulent discharge from the eyes, followed by the formation of a crust that sticks the eyelids together. Sometimes smallpox in birds is accompanied by the formation of keratitis, and when complicated by microflora - panophthalmitis. In some cases, the cornea is perforated and the eye is completely destroyed. The general condition of the sick bird is depressed, the feathers are ruffled, the appetite is poor or
absent.

In diphtheroid and mixed forms, a rash appears on the mucous membrane of the mouth, tongue, nose, larynx, trachea, bronchi, accessory cavities (sometimes under the cuticle of the stomach and on the intestinal mucosa) in the form of whitish, opaque, somewhat raised nodules. They quickly increase in size, often merge with each other, become yellowish and contain a cheesy necrotic mass or resemble a film tightly connected to the submucosal layer. If these fibrin-like deposits (films) are removed, bleeding erosions will form. Diphtheroid deposits make breathing difficult, so birds often have their mouths open and make whistling or wheezing sounds when breathing.

Pathological changes, most characteristic in the skin and mucous membrane, reflect one or another form of smallpox infection. When the pockmarks are cut, a grayish-yellow, fatty, mushy mass is found inside them. Pockmarks in birds differ from those in mammals in the absence of typical pustules with a depression in the center. If pathological changes are localized in the infraorbital sinuses, then the latter protrude in the form of tuberculate elevations. Sometimes such changes are found in the walls of the air sacs and intestines. When autopsying birds that died during the acute course of smallpox, one can detect an enlarged spleen, edematous phenomena in the lungs, pinpoint hemorrhages on the serous membranes, on the epicardium, and small foci in the liver that have a yellowish color.

Histological examination of smallpox lesions reveals changes in the epithelial tissue in the form of thickening of the epidermal layer due to increased proliferation of these cells. The cells become enlarged and swollen; Bollinger bodies, which are colonies of the virus in the lipoprotein membrane, are located near their nucleus. Their size can vary, and such inclusions occupy most of the cell. Bollinger bodies give positive histochemical reactions to DNA, fat, and phosphatases. They are well impregnated with silver nitrate when processing sections according to the proposed method by V.M. Apatenko (1964), and are also clearly visible in crushed sections after staining with Sudan 3.

Diagnosis is based on the analysis of epizootic, clinical data, pathological changes and results of laboratory studies, including histoscopic examinations, viroscopy, RDP, bioassay with isolation and identification of the virus on EC, FEC cultures, chickens and pigeons, electron microscopic studies.

Differential diagnosis. Chickenpox is differentiated from chickenpox, chicken runny nose, candidiasis,. It is necessary to take into account that some of them can occur simultaneously, including smallpox.

Forecast favorable only for uncomplicated skin form of smallpox (which is rare), if smallpox lesions are localized only on the head. With the diphtheroid form, the prognosis is unfavorable. The percentage of bird death largely depends on their age, condition, living conditions and feeding. In some poultry houses, from 10 to 70% of birds die. A particularly large mortality rate is observed among young animals due to smallpox, complicated by secondary microflora. Keeping poultry that have had smallpox, especially laying hens, is unprofitable.

Immunity and means of specific prevention. A vaccinated healthy (as well as a recovered) bird develops immunity, which is especially intense in the stage of non-sterile immunity, and it is developed against both the homogeneous chickenpox virus and the heterogeneous pigeonpox virus, although the latter is less intense. A clinically healthy animal is immunized with a virus vaccine.

All clinically healthy birds belonging to the population living in a disadvantaged farm or a threatened area are also vaccinated.

Prevention and control measures. In smallpox-free farms, measures are taken to prevent the introduction of the smallpox pathogen and ensure an increase in the resistance of the poultry body. These measures should be carried out especially carefully by persons working on farms and having birds in their own backyard. All imported poultry must be quarantined, and it must be constantly under the supervision of veterinary specialists.

When a diagnosis of fowl pox is made on a farm, the farm is declared unaffected by fowl pox by decree of the Regional Governor and quarantine is imposed. The farm carries out measures in accordance with the instructions on measures to combat bird pox. Approved by the Main Directorate of Veterinary Medicine of the USSR Ministry of Agriculture on September 14, 1970.

Under quarantine conditions it is prohibited:

1) export of poultry of all ages and types, including the sale of chickens to the population (with the exception of export for slaughter to meat processing plants).

Note. In some cases, subject to reliable isolation of the incubation workshop from poultry houses (poultry farms) affected by smallpox and compliance with other measures to prevent the spread of infection, by decision of the veterinary department of the regional (territorial) department of agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Autonomous Republic, the main department (department) of veterinary medicine The Ministry of Agriculture of the Union Republic, which does not have a regional division, allows the export of day-old chicks, turkey poults, guinea fowl, goslings and ducklings to specialized poultry farms within the corresponding region (region), republic;

2) export of eggs for breeding purposes.

Under quarantine conditions, it is allowed:

• sale of eggs through the distribution network immediately after their disinfection in the manner established by the current rules;
• incubation of eggs obtained from birds in safe poultry houses for the purpose of reproducing livestock within the same farm, provided that the eggs are disinfected immediately before being placed in the incubator;
• import of waterfowl, as well as chickens, pheasants, peacocks, turkeys and guinea fowl vaccinated against smallpox (20 days after vaccination).

In a farm unfavorable for fowl pox:

a) when smallpox appears among poultry, all sick and suspicious poultry, as well as weak poultry, are subject to slaughter at the sanitary slaughterhouse of the given farm.

The export of such poultry for slaughter to meat processing plants is prohibited.

The rest of the relatively healthy birds that do not have clinical signs of disease, taking into account economic feasibility, are also recommended to be killed for meat or taken to meat processing plants. In the latter case, the export of poultry is permitted subject to the conditions stipulated by the Rules for the veterinary inspection of slaughter animals and the veterinary and sanitary examination of meat and meat products.

Post-mortem veterinary and sanitary examination and sanitary assessment of meat are also carried out in accordance with the specified Rules. At the same time, the export of carcasses obtained from the slaughter of sick poultry suitable for use as food is permitted only after heat treatment. It is not permitted to sell such carcasses without preliminary heat treatment on-farm either.

Note. When slaughtering large quantities of poultry in poultry farms or meat processing plants, with the permission of the veterinary department of the regional (territorial) department of agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Autonomous Republic, the main department (directorate) of veterinary medicine of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Union Republic, which does not have a regional division, the carcasses are exported to the nearest food enterprises within the relevant region (territory), republic for use in the public catering network.

b) all clinically healthy birds are immunized against smallpox with a pigeon virus vaccine, according to the instructions for its use. The vaccinated bird is monitored and if, within 20 days after vaccination, smallpox patients are identified among it (from those vaccinated during the incubation period), then they are killed and proceeded as indicated in subparagraph “a”.

c) for preventive purposes, they also vaccinate poultry on farms that are at risk of introducing smallpox into them (including birds for the personal use of citizens);

d) feathers and down obtained from the slaughter of sick and suspected poultry are disinfected by immersion in an alkaline solution of formaldehyde (3% formaldehyde in a 1% solution of sodium hydroxide) with an exposure of 1 hour and transported to processing plants in double containers packaging indicating in the veterinary certificate form No. 3-vet (veterinary certificate 4-vet) about the problem of the farm with smallpox;

e) carry out thorough mechanical cleaning, as well as disinfection, disinfestation and deratization of premises, equipment, inventory and production area in the manner prescribed by the instructions for carrying out veterinary disinfection, disinfestation, disinfestation and deratization; After removal from poultry houses, droppings are subjected to biothermal disinfection; poultry houses are kept constantly clean and dry, preventing birds from being crowded in them;

f) the poultry is provided with complete feed; it is recommended to add dairy products to the diet.

At meat processing plants and procurement centers, when smallpox is detected, all poultry are slaughtered, and quarantine is imposed during the slaughter and health-improving measures. The importation of newly arrived poultry into them is allowed after the sale of all poultry products and the implementation of veterinary and sanitary measures (mechanical cleaning, disinfection, disinfestation, deratization).

Quarantine from an unfavorable farm is removed 2 months after the elimination of the disease (the last case of detection of clinical signs of smallpox in birds) and final disinfection.

The export of grown chickens and adult poultry to other farms for acquisition is permitted no earlier than 6 months after the lifting of quarantine.

In former disadvantaged farms, after the eradication of the disease, preventive general vaccination against smallpox of all birds susceptible to this disease is carried out for two years.

Smallpox is an infectious disease of chickens. Pigeons and turkeys are most susceptible to it.

Chickens take 3rd place. The causative agent of smallpox is a virus. There are 2 types of chickenpox: cutaneous and diphtheria. With the first, specific ulcerative lesions (pockmarks) develop on non-feathered areas of the body. The diphtheria form causes lesions on the mucous membranes of the mouth and esophagus. The incubation period (when symptoms are still difficult to notice) lasts approximately 2 weeks.

Symptoms of the disease

In the cutaneous form, nodular ulcers appear on the ridge, earrings, and eyelids. With the diphtheria variety, yellowish wounds appear on the mucous membranes of the mouth, esophagus, and trachea. All this is accompanied by difficulty breathing. Chickens lose their appetite and gain weight poorly. Laying hens stop laying eggs. The active period of the disease usually lasts up to 4 weeks, but if the outbreak is severe, then 2 times longer. The mortality rate is low, but with severe damage it reaches 50%.

How is smallpox transmitted?

The pathogen is transmitted by contact; it must enter a wound on the skin. The main source of infection is sick and recovered birds. The pathogen lives in smallpox scabs for up to 2 years. The virus is also carried by insects and people on their clothes and hands during the vaccination period. An infected female can pass the virus to her offspring through her eggs. The disease affects all chickens, regardless of age. The virus acts in the same way on adults and chickens.

Treatment of smallpox

Smallpox is not treated, only vaccination is carried out. The presence of the disease is confirmed in the laboratory by isolating the pathogen. Without appropriate tests, the diphtheria form of smallpox can easily be confused, for example, with viral laryngotracheitis.

The smallpox vaccine is obtained from a chicken embryo and contains a natural, fairly strong virus. It must be used strictly according to the recommendations, otherwise the entire livestock can be infected. You can vaccinate day-old chickens or 4-week-old pullets. The vaccine should be purchased from special facilities where it is properly stored. Otherwise, the effect may be zero.

Prevention

The optimal solution to combat diseases is prompt, effective prevention. For preventive purposes, experienced farmers recommend that adults should not be kept in the same room with young animals. It is this mixing that often provokes the death of a large number of birds. When a disease is observed in birds, therapy starts with quarantine measures: sick individuals must be isolated from others. If severe symptoms are observed and treatment is impossible, the bird is destroyed and burned. This is necessary to prevent the development of the epidemic.

Experts say: it is imperative to treat the chicken coop with special disinfectants. This method is optimal for reducing the likelihood of infection and infections from the outside. When there are sick individuals, such measures are taken immediately, as an emergency, since it is necessary to prevent the mortality of the livestock.

Processing is carried out on an ongoing basis, regularly, even if there is no cause for concern yet. It is advisable to carry it out at least once every month. Good care and proper balanced nutrition are of great importance. A healthy bird has a more stable immune system.

Disinfection of the chicken coop is also used as a preventive measure, at certain intervals. Disinfection helps protect chickens from disease and maintain sanitation. Find out how to properly disinfect a chicken coop in our article.

Infectious diseases

Infections develop due to chicken infection with all kinds of viruses. They are carried directly by birds, and can be brought in from outside. Of course, the most dangerous factor is the transmission of the virus to healthy individuals from sick people. If an epidemic hits the flock, you can lose the entire bird.

Another negative factor: a number of diseases are transmitted virally not only to chickens, but also to other types of poultry and animals, and some pose a real threat to humans. If treatment is not done in a timely manner, the liver and other organs and vital systems are the first to be affected. There is often a high probability of the bird dying. Let's look at specific diseases of chickens.

Pullorosis-typhoid

This disease is widespread and is bacterial in nature. It poses a serious danger not only to birds, but also to humans. Young animals less than two weeks old are usually infected.

The following symptoms are identified.

1. The chicks are lethargic and passive.
2. The young huddles together and tucks their paws.
3. A plaintive squeaking sound is constantly heard.
4. The eyes are usually closed, as the light irritates patients.
5. Wings down.
6. The stool takes the form of a liquid, viscous, foamy porridge with a yellowish tint.
7. There is an increase in temperature.
8. Breathing is disrupted.
9. The comb may turn blue.

Ultimately, about 70 percent of the young may die. The chicks die in convulsions.

All sick people must be isolated immediately. Drug therapy is effectively carried out with furazolidone and biomycin.

Colibacillosis

Distributed among chickens and other poultry. In this infection, the causative agent is Escherichia coli. Adult birds can be sick in a chronic form, but in young birds the disease is acute. The signs are:

• squatting on paws;
• weakness;
• decreased appetite;
• thirst;
• apathy;
• breathing problems;
• severe stomach upset.

You can already visually determine the disease. It is extremely important to carry out treatment in a timely manner, since there is a real threat to human health. Most often, therapy is carried out with terramycin, biomycin. Now the demand for ampicillin, sarafloxalin, and enrofloxacin is also increasing.

Pasteurellosis

Here, individuals whose age has not yet reached three months are under attack. The disease is carried by birds and rodents who have recovered from the disease. The disease can occur in a chronic or acute form. Let us denote the external characteristics.

1. Malfunctions of the liver and other internal organs and systems.
2. Accumulation of mucous secretions in the nose.
3. A sharp decrease in appetite.
4. Wheezing, breathing problems.
5. Thirst.
6. The comb may turn bluish.

Important! Pasteurella can survive for a long time in water with food, in manure, and in corpses. When infection with this virus is detected, the bird must be burned after slaughter. The chicken coop is thoroughly disinfected.

The optimal solution is disease prevention. The bird is vaccinated with anticholera serum. If a disease is detected, there is a chance to save the young animals: for this purpose, antibiotic therapy is carried out. However, the efficiency is low. Norsulfazole and tetracycline are used.

Salmonellosis

A most dangerous disease that poses a great threat to both birds and humans. Infection occurs through feed and droppings, eggs, and through contact with poultry. In addition, infection is likely even through airborne droplets.

Symptoms:

• swelling of the joints on the paws;
• weakness;
• eyes water, fester;
• strong thirst;
• appetite decreases sharply;
• breathing becomes difficult;
• foamy stools;
• growth retardation is observed;
• the peritoneum becomes inflamed.

Upon death, death throes are observed with convulsions and head twitching.

First of all, in the acute course of the disease, the liver and gastrointestinal tract are affected. Therapy is most often prescribed with furazolidone. It lasts 20 days, for 10 days you must also take streptomycin. When a week passes, the course is repeated. Chlotetracycline and sulfonamide should be added to the feed for 10 days. Complete thorough disinfection is carried out. All birds that remain infected must be supported by taking chloramphenicol: it is given three times a day for a whole week.

Chicken pox

1. Breathing becomes heavy.
2. The bird weakens and hardly moves.
3. Swallowing is also difficult.
4. Red spots appear on the skin.
5. Yellow pockmarks spread everywhere: on the earrings, comb, in the eye area. Gradually they turn brown and darken.

Drug therapy can be carried out effectively only at the very first stage of infection development. You will need boric acid, furatsilin, or glycerin, galazolin. All affected areas are thoroughly wiped with these products. Antibiotics are relevant: biomycin, tetracycline. They are taken throughout the week. Gargle with chamomile decoction. Five percent chloramine is useful for treating internal growths. All this can be used if a decision is made to try to save the bird. However, experts note: the best solution is to slaughter sick individuals in order to prevent the spread of infection and the occurrence of an epidemic.

To reduce the risk of illness, you should carefully observe hygiene standards, as well as regularly clean the poultry house and disinfect it.

Newcastle disease

The virus is transmitted quickly, in different ways: through food and water, droppings. Individuals easily infect each other. Almost all organs are affected, from the liver to the nervous system. The clinical picture is as follows.

1. Birds make croaking sounds.
2. Swallowing reflex is impaired.
3. Appetite decreases sharply.
4. Mucus accumulates in large quantities in the oral and nasal cavities.
5. Chickens are lethargic and passive.
6. Coordination is impaired, individuals move in a circle, and orientation in space is disrupted.
7. The comb gradually acquires a blue tint.

The entire population has to be slaughtered. The bird is burned or covered with lime. When the disease is acute, it can be transmitted to humans.

The only effective measure is timely prevention and hygiene.

Flubenvet helps against helminthic diseases. It requires only three grams per kilogram of feed. It is important to carry out the course of therapy over the course of a week.

When stomach upset does not stop after treatment, you should consult a veterinarian for advice.

A distinctive feature of such ailments is that only the directly sick bird is in the risk zone. The epidemic does not threaten healthy individuals. In this case, treatment is necessary to preserve the livestock.

Chickens often experience disruptions in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. This is typical with poor nutrition, when the food contains clay or sand. It’s bad if the amount of protein consumed is not balanced. Vitamin deficiencies occur. When the diseases are already advanced, the clinical picture becomes confusing because the symptoms overlap. If treatment is not timely, the bird dies.

A clean coop is an important part of bird health.

The zoological regime in the chicken coop plays a big role. He needs to be monitored carefully. Risk factors:

• inactivity of the bird;
• poor ventilation system;
• incorrect temperature conditions, hypothermia;
• excessive lighting.

Mechanical injuries are dangerous. This happens when attacked by other animals, falls, pinching, or foreign objects entering the stomach. Sometimes chickens suffer from poisoning by pecking at poisonous plants. In the chicken coop, the area where the animals stay, and walks, everything must be strictly controlled.

Dyspepsia

The whole problem is poor nutrition. It provokes dyspepsia or indigestion. This is extremely dangerous for young animals that have not yet crossed the threshold of 3 weeks. Inexperienced farmers begin to accustom birds to roughage too early. In addition, it is important to monitor the freshness and purity of the water. Dyspepsia can be chronic, due to toxic poisoning, or acute – inflammation of the intestines, the stomach itself.

Clinical picture:

• lack of appetite;
• liquid feces with undigested fragmentary remains of food;
• temperature increase;
• apathy;
• paw convulsions;
• hardening of the abdomen.

Therapy is based primarily on transferring to a proper, well-balanced diet. Chickens are kept on a special diet: all feed should be easily digestible. Instead of water, they give a soda solution and potassium permanganate. If food poisoning is detected, sulfonamides and antibiotics will be needed.

It is extremely important to prevent the development of the disease. Drinkers and feeders must always be kept clean. Particular attention should be paid to nutrition.

Goiter atony

A fairly common disease, provoked by untimely, poorly balanced nutrition. As a result, feed begins to accumulate in the crop, which leads to its obstruction. The disease can be visually and tactilely identified by sagging and hardening of the goiter. A goiter can block the airway as well as the jugular vein. In this case, the individual will die.

If this does not happen, you can try to cope with atony. A gentle, light massage is performed. Using a probe, a little vegetable oil is instilled into the crop. Then the crop is massaged again, the chicken turns upside down. It is important to remove the contents of the crop. After the procedure, it is advisable to pour potassium permanganate into the throat.

Gastroenteritis

The disease is commonly called intestinal flu. If the bird is fed irregularly, the nutrition is not of sufficient quality, and gastroenteritis develops. Sometimes the cause is stomach defects, such as polyps. Stressful situations, as well as allergic reactions to specific types of feed, are dangerous.

Symptoms will help determine the development of intestinal flu:

• temperature rise;
• apathy;
• stomach upset;
• chickens have no appetite;
• stools are watery, foamy, with a pungent odor;
• the comb turns blue.

One of the signs of gastroenteritis is a blue ridge

Treatment is associated with improved nutrition and diets. The diet should be half-starved; all vitamins and microelements should be easily digestible. They use laxatives and antibiotics. It is advisable to prevent the development of the disease: high-quality food is needed, it is important to maintain hygiene.

Salpingitis

This is an inflammation of the oviduct that occurs during biliary peritonitis. The disease is provoked by poor feeding and lack of vitamins. As a result, the eggs are laid too early, they remain soft, without a shell.

It is important to make the diet balanced, increase the content of proteins and vitamins. If there is inflammation, but the oviduct has not yet fallen out, there is a chance to cure the bird. But regular checkups with a veterinarian will be needed.

Bronchopneumonia

When hypothermia occurs, an inflammatory process begins in the respiratory organs. Sometimes young animals get caught in the rain; a sharp change in temperature is harmful. Sometimes pneumonia is a complication of an infectious disease. The bird becomes lethargic, breathing is hoarse, there is no appetite, mucus is released from the nose and throat.

Measures are taken immediately, otherwise the young animals die in a matter of days. Penicillin and terramycin are used for treatment. Sick individuals are removed and everything is thoroughly disinfected.

Cloacite

Poor living conditions, lack of vitamins, fluorine and calcium provoke the development of cloacitis. Chickens suffer from hemorrhagic ulcers, inflammation of the mucous membranes, and indigestion. Individuals lose weight and stop laying eggs.

Treatment can be carried out by washing the mucous membranes with rivanol, treating them with Vaseline and anesthesin. For prevention, the diet requires vitamin flour, as well as alfalfa and crushed root vegetables.

Diseases caused by insects

It is extremely important to always monitor the condition and behavior of chickens, and also inspect them regularly. The bird also suffers from insects: this manifests itself in restlessness and scratching. You can see small holes on the surface of the skin if you move the feathers apart. Fleas and ticks with lice eaters provoke diseases.

Fleas settle in the litter, so they can be dealt with by treating the entire room, changing the litter, and carrying out deratization.

Poison eaters are small, but very dangerous. Aerosols Insectol and Arpalit help. Feathers are treated with sprays, but the product should not get into the eyes or beak. The chicken coop and all equipment are disinfected.

Molds also cause illness. Among them, aspergillosis is the most widespread. Infection is likely if the food is moldy and the conditions do not meet sanitary standards. The damage goes to the respiratory tract and internal organs.

Aspergillosis affects the lungs of birds

The bird becomes apathetic, breathing becomes labored and quickens. Sometimes the eyes become inflamed, sneezing and coughing occur. Individuals become exhausted and suffer from indigestion. Within a few days, patients may die from developing paralysis.

Therapy is carried out using iodine inhalation. Nystatin helps: they give it to drink. Chickens need 5 mg, and adults – 20 mg.

Be extremely careful. Monitor the condition of the bird, feeding and living conditions.

Video - Chicken diseases and their treatment

Smallpox occurs frequently in chickens and quickly takes on epidemic proportions, causing significant damage to farms. Not all birds are treated; sick animals are slaughtered, and measures are taken to combat the spread of the virus. Let's learn about chicken pox, what kind of disease it is, how it spreads, signs and diagnosis, how to fight it and whether it can be cured.

What kind of disease is this

Chickenpox is a contagious viral disease. It primarily affects areas of the body without feathers (legs, head, mouth and respiratory organs, mucous membranes of the eyes).

Historical reference

Smallpox was first described in 1775 as contagious conjunctivitis. In 1902, scientists determined that diphtheria and skin lesions were manifestations of the same disease. After a while, the Germans determined its viral origin. In the 1930s, research separated smallpox in chickens, pigeons and canaries.

Economic damage

Chickenpox is widespread throughout the world and causes significant damage to the poultry industry in many countries. With this disease, there is a strong decrease in the productivity of birds - egg production is significantly reduced (by 5 times), hatchability of chicks (up to 80% dies).
Sick chickens lose weight, die, and are culled. It takes a long time for a bird to recover. The smallpox causative agent is very persistent, and the epidemic often repeats more than once. A lot of money is spent on quarantine and disinfection.

Before the introduction of these measures in the USSR, up to 30% of the chicken population died from smallpox, but even now this problem is relevant.

Did you know? Every year, Holland loses up to 12% of its poultry from smallpox, and the French suffer losses of up to 200 million francs.

Pathogen

Smallpox occurs due to infection with a virus from the Avi poxviridae family, genus Avipoxvirus. This resilient organism survives at temperatures up to 38° for 8 days, and at temperatures up to 6° for up to 8 years.

Sub-zero temperatures contribute to its even greater preservation. It continues to live on down and feathers for 195 days, on eggshells - 59 days. The virus dies from the sun's rays in 11 hours and in a few minutes under the influence of acids and alcohol. But in an aquatic environment it can live for about 66 days.

Sources and routes of infection

Infection can enter the poultry house with sick or recovered birds, including wild ones, as well as with rodents through their feces.
The source of infection can also be insects that come into contact with birds, bedding, eggs, feed, water, contaminated clothing of workers and various household items in the poultry house that have become infected. The smallpox virus penetrates through mucous membranes and skin lesions.

The mechanism of the onset and development of the disease

The causative agent of smallpox, getting on damage to the epidermis, forms smallpox folliculitis. It forms smallpox exanthema on the beard and comb. The course of the disease depends on the state of the bird’s immune system and the virulence of the virus strain.

Vitamin deficiency, metabolic disorders, and the presence of secondary microflora aggravate the course of the disease. It often takes a generalized form, when within 24–48 hours it is spread by the blood to many organs, in which, under its influence, degeneration of parenchymal cells and changes in vascular endothelial cells appear.

Severe damage to the larynx can clog it, and the bird will die.

Forms and characteristics

The symptoms of smallpox disease in chickens depend on the form and severity of the disease. There are three forms of smallpox: cutaneous, diphtheria and mixed.

Skin

With this form, pockmarks appear on non-feathered areas (usually in the head area), starting from the 4th day after exposure to the virus. First of all, attention is drawn to lesions on the earrings, crest, beard, near the eyes and near the beak.
They first look like yellowish spots, which then turn red and develop into warts. They can be up to 0.5 cm in size and are covered with scabs. After a few days they turn brown.

The formation of pockmarks can take 1–2 weeks, and the disease itself lasts about 6 weeks. The cutaneous form has the most favorable prognosis.

Did you know? The mortality rate of chickens with the skin form of the disease is no higher than 8%, and with diphtheria it reaches 50%, or even 70% (in the presence of unfavorable factors). The mixed form usually takes 30–50% of the lives of the inhabitants of the poultry house. Most of all, young animals die from smallpox.

Diphtheria

This is the most severe form of smallpox, affecting the mouth, larynx, trachea and esophagus.

It is characterized by the following symptoms:

• the presence of ulcers in the oral cavity;
• heavy breathing, wheezing, cough;
• neck stretching;
• open beak;
• loss of appetite and refusal to eat;
• purulent nasal discharge;
• purulent, swollen lesions around the eyes;
• photophobia;
• swelling of the eyelids and increased tearing.

Mixed

This form manifests itself with symptoms of both of the above forms. It affects both the skin and mucous membranes.

Diagnostics

Epizootiological and clinical data are collected and analyzed. An autopsy is performed on a dead bird or a sick bird sent for slaughter. Tests are taken and carried out for histological studies and virus isolation, viroscopy, and RBP.

Important! The symptoms of smallpox are very similar to other diseases that are common in chickens. Hypovitaminosis A, infectious rhinitis, laryngitis, tracheitis and bronchitis, scab, aspergillosis, candidiasis, respiratory form of mycoplasmosis, pasteurellosis and others are similar to the signs of smallpox disease.

Research is being conducted to rule out the presence of these diseases. It should be borne in mind that these diseases can occur with smallpox at the same time.

Pathological changes

The most noticeable lesions of varying degrees are on the skin and mucous membranes. In the cut pockmarks, a gray-yellow fatty gruel is observed. Usually the conjunctiva and the eyes themselves are also affected.

Sometimes the disease is localized in the eye area (infraorbital sinuses), which begin to bulge, or in the walls of the air sacs, esophagus, intestines and stomach.
During the postmortem examination of chickens that died from an acute course of the disease, severe emaciation of the birds is observed, an increase in the size of the spleen, swelling of the lungs, small foci of yellowish tints in the liver, the epicardium and serous membranes contain pinpoint bloody inclusions.

The intestinal mucosa is loose, stained and may have hemorrhages. If the disease is chronic, pockmarks may not be detected. But there will be degeneration of internal organs (liver, kidneys, heart) and an enlargement of the spleen.

Histology of pockmarks shows thickening of the epidermal layers. The cells are swollen and contain Bollinger bodies, which are a direct confirmation of the disease.

How to treat chickenpox in chickens

Treat rationally the skin form with a mild course of the disease. In other cases, chickens are slaughtered. Lesions on the skin are treated with emollient ointments, and ulcers are treated with one percent iodine-glycerin, 3-5% chloramine solution. The nasal cavity and eyes are washed with lukewarm boiled water, and then irrigated with a 3% boric acid solution.

Did you know? Chickens sick with smallpox can infect any poultry belonging to the order Gallini - turkeys, pheasants, quails, guinea fowl. Even ostriches are susceptible to this disease.

Instead of the latter, you can use a chamomile solution. Potassium iodide is diluted in drinking water. An antibiotic may be prescribed to prevent secondary infections. One of them is Paracillin at a dosage of 1 g per liter of boiled water for a week. Birds' bodies are strengthened by taking vitamins.

Is quarantine necessary in case of mass casualty?

Smallpox is a disease with a persistent pathogen. In the event of a mass disease of chickens with smallpox, the farm declares quarantine, and it is classified as unfavorable. In such a farm, measures are taken in accordance with current sanitary and veterinary standards for the fight against smallpox.

The standards in case of quarantine are as follows:

1. You cannot take chickens outside of a dysfunctional farm. Only export for slaughter is allowed. In some cases, when the premises and areas for keeping are well isolated from smallpox-prone poultry houses, and all measures have been taken on the farm to prevent the spread of the virus and infection, then, by decision of the relevant veterinary services, it is possible to export day-old chicks to poultry farms and farms within areas.
2. It is prohibited to export eggs for breeding. Eggs can be sold after appropriate disinfection.
3. Stop the import of poultry that is completely healthy and vaccinated. On smallpox-prone farms, all poultry showing signs of the disease are sent to slaughter on the farm. It is prohibited to export such poultry to meat processing plants. The rest of the poultry is also recommended to be slaughtered or processed. Such export of chickens is permitted subject to compliance with all sanitary and veterinary standards. The carcasses of slaughtered birds are subject to appropriate examination. Meat after slaughter of poultry infected with smallpox can be exported and sold on-farm only after heat treatment.
4. All healthy birds are vaccinated against smallpox. If after vaccination for 3 weeks the chickens show signs of the virus, they are sent for slaughter. All poultry are also vaccinated against smallpox on farms where there is a threat of this virus.
5. Feather and down after slaughter of disease-prone birds are treated with a 3% formaldehyde solution and a 1% sodium hydroxide solution for one hour. Only after this can they be exported to other enterprises in containers with reinforced double packaging, indicating in the veterinary documents that the raw materials are from a smallpox farm.
6. It is necessary to thoroughly disinfect all utility rooms, equipment and inventory, as well as the entire site in accordance with veterinary standards and recommendations. Chicken droppings are treated using biothermal disinfection.

Quarantine from poultry farms is lifted only 60 days after the virus has been completely eliminated and all final disinfection measures have been carried out. It will be possible to export grown chickens to other farms only six months after the end of quarantine. In former disadvantaged farms, prevention has been carried out for 2 years in the form of vaccination of the entire chicken population. If after 2 years no signs of the disease have been detected, then further vaccination is not necessary.

Is it dangerous for humans?

Birdpox is not dangerous to humans. On poultry farms, when this diagnosis is detected, chickens are slaughtered, and the meat is necessarily boiled, only the head is removed. The meat of severely affected birds is disposed of. Eggs cannot be used for incubation.

They are suitable for food use after boiling, but they are usually not eaten.

Vaccinations are the most effective measure for the prevention and treatment of birds. They are especially relevant for valuable breeds of chickens.

Two types of vaccine are used for vaccinations:

• with the presence of chicken virus;
• with the presence of pigeon virus.

Such drugs are used to develop immunity against smallpox in chickens, hens, turkeys, and ducks. With this vaccination, an injection is made into the membrane located under the wing. Chickens are vaccinated once and for life at the age of 1–3.5 months.
Broiler chickens are vaccinated at 28 days. Within 7–10 days, a reaction in the form of redness and slight swelling appears at the puncture site during vaccination. It indicates that the immunization procedure was carried out correctly. Redness and swelling disappear within 14–21 days.

Important!It is necessary to buy an effective vaccine and carry out vaccination correctly. The cause of some chickenpox epidemics is incorrect vaccination. The absence of a reaction to the vaccine in the form of redness will indicate an incorrect vaccination or an unsuitable vaccine. True, such a lack of reaction can also occur in already vaccinated individuals.

General preventive measures

To prevent chickenpox in chickens, experts recommend taking the following preventive measures:

• ventilate the chicken coop well, but without drafts;
• keep the room dry and clean, change the bedding regularly;
• carry out timely cleaning and disinfection of premises and equipment;
• carry out rodent control, exclude contact with wild birds;
• make sure that the chickens do not bunch together;
• disinfect garbage and droppings in accordance with existing sanitary and veterinary standards;
• remove quarantine from farms no earlier than 60 days after the elimination of smallpox and final disinfection;
• vaccinate against smallpox all birds on farms affected by this disease within a certain period after the elimination of the epidemic. The same measure is also carried out in farms that are located in areas unfavorable for this disease.

Smallpox is a contagious disease for birds that cannot always be cured. In farms where it is discovered, a long quarantine is declared and measures are taken to eliminate it. In most cases, sick chickens and birds that came into contact with them are sent for slaughter. The best measure against smallpox is vaccination.

13.03.2018

“We bought a rooster for our hens, and ten days later I discovered something was wrong with them. It turned out that they had smallpox. I immediately slaughtered them because they had obvious signs of illness (small pockmarks on the head). I bought the vaccine and vaccinated the rest of the chickens. A week later I checked the reaction to the vaccine, everything was fine. I decided not to buy the rooster right away. Disinfected the premises, walking area and equipment.

My chicken coop is spacious and well ventilated. I have had cockatiel parrots living there for a long time and they feel great and regularly give birth. When I found out that the chickens were sick with smallpox, I decided to vaccinate the parrots too. They tolerated it well, however, at the injection site, after the prescribed period, I did not find any traces, and pockmarks should have appeared on the inside and outside of the wing membrane - as it is written in the instructions for using the vaccine. The chickens had everything as it should be. Then I found out that parrots don’t get smallpox, but I read in a book that they do get it. Now I don't know how to vaccinate parrots. The instructions attached to the vaccine say: “used for vaccinating chickens, pheasants, guinea fowl, turkeys and pigeons.” I decided that if it is suitable for pigeons, then it is also suitable for parrots, especially since they are the same in size.

One of my chickens had a pock mark on the bottom of her beak and near her eye. The bird was very beautiful, and I was sorry to kill it. I put her in a separate cage and vaccinated her. The reaction was positive. After three weeks, the pockmarks disappeared. Tell us what to do in such cases.”

V.Dneprova.

With chickenpox, the incubation period (from the onset of infection to the appearance of signs of the disease) is 15-20 days. The owner noticed smallpox lesions in her chickens 10 days after she introduced the purchased rooster to them. I didn’t find any pockmarks on him, or at least I didn’t write about it. Maybe the chickens were already infected with smallpox by that time?

Based on sensitivity to smallpox, birds can be arranged in the following order (in descending order): pigeons, turkeys, chickens, canaries.

Ducks, hawks, magpies and other wild birds can become infected. Some strains infect rabbits and quail. Parrots are not on this list. They have their own strain of the smallpox virus. It has been little studied and little is written about it. So it was in vain that you vaccinated your parrots with chicken vaccine. You are convinced that parrots do not respond to the vaccine. By the way, parrots were not included in the instructions.

And I would also like to remind you that vaccines must be purchased only at a veterinary institution. They must be stored under certain conditions, otherwise they will lose their immunogenicity. Private traders, as a rule, do not comply with this regime. There are cases where they buy expired vaccines for next to nothing and sell them to uninformed animal owners. Immunity in adult chickens that have naturally recovered from smallpox lasts 2-3 years. The duration of vaccine immunity depends on the quality of the vaccine and the response of the bird to the vaccine. The more pronounced the reaction, the longer the immunity will last. On average, immunity in young animals lasts for 3-4 months, in adults - up to 10 months.

The virus persists in the organs of recovered birds for 487 days. Perhaps longer, it’s just that observations ended at this point. The virus persists in smallpox crusts for longer than two years. Drying and freezing the pathogen only preserves it. Insects, including ticks, can transmit the infection. The virus remains in their body for up to 730 days. An infected female can pass the virus through her eggs to her offspring. But the main carrier is sick and recovered birds. The pathogen is also transmitted through equipment, clothing, etc., so act in accordance with the situation.